Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1887-02-10

ing. The message is unusually in
portant and should be carefully rca'
by our citizens:
To the Hon. Common Council of tn
City Of Lewiston - Gcntlemcn: 4Ac
cord:ng 10 the provisions of the char
ter 1t is the duty of the Mayor on TIN
first regular meeting in July and Jai,
nary to communicate by message t,
the council Il statement of the condi
tion Of our municipal corporation.
But as had not examined the char
ter touching this point, I neglected I,
do so at the proper time. Therefore
10y your permission, I propose to do 81
at this meeting, February eth, 1887.
herewith present to you n brie
general statement Of the affairs of tI,.
city, together with recommendation
/, for your consideration.
As given me by the treasurer, you
will see that the actual receipts and ex
pcnditures of the city up to our last
regular meeting in January were as
| follows:
Total receipts....................S1.7 a6 %
expehhitures....... l., 14l q
balance in treasury. 955 "a
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The expense of the Police Depart.
ment is. in my Judgment. more than
commensurate with the actual services
rendered-as our Marshals do but it'll,
more than walk the stpets-seldom
ever, in fact never, enforce an ordin-
ance unless 1t becomes pecuniarily
profitable for them 10 do so, without
being coerced by the Mayor. (Our
present Marshal is slight improve
ment over some former ones.)
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.
There has been considerable side
walk improvement in the last six
months but not as much as should
have been, from the fact that the
people have been given their time
some refusing entirely, whereas those
refusing should have been urged to
complete all sidewalks within the time
specified In the ordinance, and those
refusing should have been compelled
to build or pay the city for construct
ing the same.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
There has been considerable money
expended during the last six months
on our streets. The Committee on
Streets should be careful not to draw
any money from the treasury for street
Improvement until they have consid.
cred well and taken counsel AZ to the
best methods Of improvement, from
the fact that there has been 50 much
money expended unnecessarily in that
direction already. l am not of tho
opinion that Macadamized streets will
he success, unless the gravel or bro
Ken stone. as the case may be, il put
on when the streets are dry, and suf-
ficient length of time before the rainy
Jeasnn, so ma to enable 1t to become
well pulverized, in order that there
may be complete street bed formed
ON top Of the dirt before any rain falls;
by this means but little moisture can
findits way through to the earth below.
Macadamized streets and roads SO
far, have proven a failure unless the
work Is done when the earth is dry.
md even then on streets and all thor
Dughfares that are much Travelled It
has proven to be difficult task to keep
Them in order. But until we can de
'ise some better method O: fixing our
streets we should economics by ex-
pending our means at the season of the
year In which we can do the most good
With the least money.
STREET AND SIDEWALK CLEANING.
l would recommend that the streets
md sidewalks lie kept clean of all
ast-off material, wood, machinery.
tore-boxes and debris Of all kinds, all
4 which, has, like many other things,
'een neglected by our Marshals and
street Commissioner.
/ recommend that in addition to the
tax an ordinance be passed
all business over which the
harter gives you the right to exercise
ontrol, as an additional means of rev.
nue., not protective license, but
revenue license. 1t is utterly impos-
lille to fix sewers, grade and Macad-
mize streets, keep the city clean and
ealthy as 1t should be with the means
e Rave as yet, ut our command. A
irty, slovenly city breeds contempt
nd dislike, and serves to drive people
way from it. |;
On the contrary well kept cities are ,
Ike well kept hotels, calculated to at
act people to them. 1t takes people
make cities, and in order to get peo-
e We must make our city attractive.
recommend that the ordinance / /
king dogs be amended SO as to read a
per annum for every male dog and I,
per annum for every female dog. r
] recommend that the ordinance
oviding for the closing up of certain
Isiness on Sundays be SO amended as a
read from Saturday nights until q
onday mornings. Il
The closing up of all business sprci- q
d in said ordinance is not of so very
eat importancea further than it is
q